Two of these Galaxy Tab S4 shortcomings can be fixed via software updates

Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab S4 today, a beautiful new tablet with high-end specifications. It’s not just the specs that are high-end, but also the price tag, which starts at €699. I have had the opportunity to play around with the Tab S4 and there are three features that I feel should have been part of the device.

IP rating for water resistance

The Galaxy Tab S4 doesn’t have any sort of water resistance, which means you will have to be extra careful around water. The price of this tablet is nearly as high as a Galaxy S9 in some markets, but while Samsung’s flagship phones have been waterproof since the Galaxy S7, its high-end tablets are yet to get the same feature.

I use a tablet mostly outdoors or at a swimming pool when on holiday. Kids play in the pool and there are plenty of chances for the tablet to get caught in the crossfire. Worse yet, there are some people who use their tablet to watch videos and TV shows while taking a bath, while others read an eBook as well. Water resistance makes a lot of sense on a tablet, especially one that costs as much as the Galaxy Tab S4.

Proper Pro mode in the camera

Okay, so not many people use the camera on a tablet, especially not one with a big 10.5-inch screen. But how hard can it be to update the camera app and write in a few lines of code to make the Pro mode as useful as it is on Samsung’s flagship phones? The Pro mode on the Galaxy Tab S4 is a basic one that you also get on budget and mid-range Galaxy phones. For the kind of money Samsung is asking for the Tab S4, a little more functionality, such as a proper Pro mode for the camera, would be appreciated.

Option to access navigation keys from any side

The Galaxy Tab S4 doesn’t have a physical home button, so it looks way nicer than previous Tab S tablets. But there’s also a little problem here. Samsung gives you the possibility to hide the navigation bar while using the tablet. That’s great, as you get more screen estate. But when I have to go back to the home screen again, I have to reposition my hands somewhat to reach the navigation keys, which are placed at the bottom center of the screen. This can be a nuisance in landscape mode, so it would be great if the navigation bar could be accessed by swiping from every side.

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As it says in the title, Samsung could fix two of the three shortcomings listed above with a software update. Because the Galaxy Tab S4 isn’t otherwise bad, not at all. But as SamMobile, we just have to be a little critical from time to time, and we can only hope Samsung takes some of our feedback into consideration.

Don’t forget to check out our hands-on impressions of the Galaxy Tab S4.

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Galaxy Tab A 10.5 vs Galaxy Tab S4: Side-by-side pictures

Samsung has launched two new tablets today. They offer something for everyone as the Galaxy Tab S4 is more for those who want to get work done on their tablets while the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is better suited to watching TV shows and movies.

Both tablets look quite similar, though, then again there’s only so much that you can change in a tablet’s design. The two tablets have 16:10 aspect ratio displays as well with relatively slim bezels to maximize screen real estate.

Galaxy Tab A 10.5 vs Galaxy Tab S4 in pictures

There isn’t a physical home button on both tablets due to the 16:10 aspect ratio. This means that there’s no fingerprint sensor at the front as well. You would expect to find it at the back but you won’t because both the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 and Galaxy Tab S4 actually don’t have a fingerprint sensor.

Another minor change you’ll notice is that the 3.5mm headphone jack is positioned at the top of the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 as opposed to at the bottom on the Galaxy Tab S4. That may not be of a lot of interest but the important thing here is that both tablets do have a standard headphone jack.

Other design features that are noticeable on both tablets include the metal frame which is present on the Galaxy Tab S4 but not on the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 as it’s made out of plastic. There’s also a minor size difference between the two tablets as well courtesy of the Galaxy Tab S4’s higher screen to body ratio which lets it pack a 10.5-inch display in a smaller frame.

The pictures posted below show off the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 vs Galaxy Tab S4 in more detail. Despite their similarities, both tablets will cater to different segments of the market as a lot is different under the hood. There’s also a considerable difference in their prices. Do let us know about thoughts about both tablets in the comments. To see how the two compare with specs, go here.

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Official Galaxy Tab A 10.5 specs and features

Samsung today announced the Galaxy Tab A 10.5. It’s the company’s latest budget tablet that has been developed with entertainment in mind. The tablet has mid-range specifications since Samsung wanted to keep the price in check. Those who are looking for a tablet that’s more of a productivity powerhouse can opt for the Galaxy Tab S4 which has also been launched today.

Galaxy Tab A 10.5 specs and features

We have added the full spec sheet of the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 down below for your convenience. Additional details are also available on our devices page.

The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is a bonafide mid-range tablet with its 10.5-inch 1920×1200 pixel resolution LCD display and 1.8GHz Snapdragon 450 processor. The chip is coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage. There’s also an 8-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel front camera.

The shift to the 16:10 aspect ratio means that the physical home button hasn’t been included. So you won’t find the fingerprint sensor at the front. You won’t find it at all because the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 doesn’t have one. It doesn’t even have an iris scanner for access control. Conventional methods such as PIN and pattern will obviously be available.

The tablet has four speakers with Dolby Atmos support. They aren’t AKG-tuned like they are on the Galaxy Tab S4 but it’s still a first for Samsung’s budget tablets. The four speakers will provide a better audio experience during content consumption.

As far as the features are concerned, the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 comes with the Kids Mode so that kids can safely use the tablet and the internet through the child-friendly interface. The Multi User mode will enable families to share the tablet with multiple user accounts on the same device.

The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 can also double as a connectivity hub as it has support for SmartThings. It can be used to control smart home devices through Samsung’s Internet of Things platform. Do check out our hands-on with the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 to get a better sense of what this tablet is capable of. Samsung has confirmed the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 price and release date today as well.

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Here is Samsung’s official spec sheet for the Galaxy Tab S4

The Galaxy Tab S4 is Samsung’s fourth-generation high-end tablet with an AMOLED display, bringing many new features and functionality over its predecessor. We have already compared the Galaxy Tab S4 to the Galaxy Tab S3 and Galaxy Tab S2 and given you our initial impressions of the tablet. If you’re interested in taking a look at the official Galaxy Tab S4 spec sheet, however, we have put it down below for your reading pleasure.

Galaxy Tab S4 official spec sheet

Our devices section has the complete Galaxy Tab S4 specs, so be sure to check that out as well. And stay tuned on SamMobile for more on Samsung’s new tablet, including a full review in the coming weeks.

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Specs comparison: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 vs. Galaxy Tab S3

Samsung has finally unveiled its new flagship tablet today, the Galaxy Tab S4. The tablet has been designed with productivity in mind. While there aren’t any major design changes, it does switch to a 16:10 aspect ratio instead of retaining the 4:3 aspect ratio of its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S3.

In addition to offering generational performance improvements courtesy of the new processor, the Galaxy Tab S4 also features a higher-resolution display, Android 8.1, more internal storage options and the ability to externally expand storage up to 400GB. There are new cameras onboard while the battery has been beefed up to 7,300mAh as well. It’s going to be available in both LTE and Wi-Fi variants much like its predecessor.

Speaking of its predecessor, many of you will be interested in finding out the differences between the two tablets. This Galaxy Tab S4 vs. Galaxy Tab S3 specs comparison will give you a good idea of just how the new tablet is different from its predecessor on paper. For complete Galaxy Tab S4 specs, head over to our devices section.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 vs. Galaxy Tab S3

	Galaxy Tab S4	Galaxy Tab S3
Display	10.5-inch Super AMOLED, 2560 x 1600, 16:10 Aspect Ratio	9.7-inch Super AMOLED, 2048 x 1536, 4:3 Aspect Ratio
HDR	Yes	Yes
S Pen	Yes	Yes
Operating System	Android 8.1 Oreo	Android 7.0 Nougat
Processor	Snapdragon 835	Snapdragon 820
RAM	4GB	4GB
Storage	64GB/256GB	32GB
microSD Card	up to 400GB	up to 256GB
Rear-facing camera	13MP, Autofocus, LED flash, HDR, 4K Video Recording	13MP, Autofocus, F1.9, LED flash, HDR, 4K Video Recording
Front-facing camera	8MP	5MP
Loudspeakers	Quad Stereo, Tuned by AKG with Dolby Atmos support	Quad Stereo, Tuned by AKG (Dolby Atmos support with Oreo update)
Wireless Connectivity	LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.0	LTE Cat. 6 (600Mbps), Dual-Band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.2 with LE
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou
USB	USB 3.1 Type-C	USB 3.1 Type-C
Sensors	Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Iris scanner, Gyroscope, Hall, Proximity, RGB	Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Fingerprint, Gyroscope, Hall, Magnetic, Proximity, RGB
Keyboard Case	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	164.3 x 249.3 x 7.1mm	169.0 x 237.3 x 6.0mm
Weight	482g (Wi-Fi) / 483g (LTE)	429g (Wi-Fi) / 434g (LTE)
Battery	7,300 mAh with fast charging	6,000 mAh with fast charging

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Specs comparison: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 vs. Galaxy Tab S2

The Galaxy Tab S4 is the latest flagship tablet from Samsung, and for Galaxy Tab S2 owners, it may look like an enticing upgrade. And there’s certainly a lot to like on the Galaxy Tab S4. It’s got a Super AMOLED display with 16:10 aspect ratio so you can enjoy movies and YouTube videos on the entire screen, four speakers with Dolby Atmos support, a desktop-like interface thanks to the built-in DeX mode, and a bigger battery.

Our review will go into detail about what makes the Galaxy Tab S4 tick (and what doesn’t), but if you’re wondering what the new tablet offers compared to the Galaxy Tab S2, our specs comparison table is a good place to get started. To see the differences between the Galaxy Tab S4 and Galaxy Tab S3, check out this article. For complete Galaxy Tab S4 specs, head over to our devices section.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 vs. Galaxy Tab S2

	Galaxy Tab S4	Galaxy Tab S2 9.7/8.0
Display	10.5-inch Super AMOLED, 2560 x 1600, 16:10 Aspect Ratio	9.7-inch/8.0-inch Super AMOLED, 2048 x 1536, 4:3 Aspect Ratio
HDR	Yes	No
S Pen	Yes	No
Operating System	Android 8.1 Oreo	Android 5.0.2 Lollipop (Android 6.0.1 on some models)
Processor	Snapdragon 835	Exynos 5433/Snapdragon 652
RAM	4GB	3GB
Storage	64GB/256GB	32/64GB
microSD Card	up to 400GB	up to 256GB
Rear-facing camera	13MP, Autofocus, LED flash, HDR, 4K Video Recording	8 MP, Autofocus, Full HD video recording
Front-facing camera	8MP	2.1MP
Loudspeakers	Quad Stereo, Tuned by AKG with Dolby Atmos support	Dual speakers
Wireless Connectivity	LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.0	LTE, Dual-Band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac MIMI, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi Direct
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou	GPS, GLONASS
USB	USB 3.1 Type-C	USB 2.0 (microUSB)
Sensors	Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Iris scanner, Gyroscope, Hall, Proximity, RGB	Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, RGB Light Sensor
Keyboard Case	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	164.3 x 249.3 x 7.1mm	Tab S2 9.7: 237.3 x 169 x 5.6mm Tab S2 8.0: 198.6 x 134.8 x 5.6mm
Weight	482g (Wi-Fi) / 483g (LTE)	Tab S2 9.7: 389g (Wi-Fi) / 392g (LTE) Tab S2 8.0: 265g (Wi-Fi) / 272g (LTE)
Battery	7,300 mAh with fast charging	5,870 mAh

 

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Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5: Price and release date

Samsung has launched a new budget tablet today. We had been hearing about this device for quite some time now. It was initially believed to be called the Galaxy Tab A2 XL. Samsung has made it official today as the Galaxy Tab A 10.5.

This affordable tablet has been developed keeping entertainment in mind. It has mid-range specifications, a large 10.5-inch 16:10 aspect ratio display and four speakers to provide an enhanced audio and visual experience. The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is going to be released later this month. Samsung has also confirmed how much the tablet is going to cost.

Galaxy Tab A 10.5 price and release date

The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 price is €329 for the Wi-Fi and €389 for the LTE model respectively. It won’t be a straight conversion to local currencies in other markets but it does give us a price range where these models will fall globally. It will be about $380 for the Wi-Fi and $450 for the LTE models.

For those who are wondering about the official accessories, Samsung hasn’t launched a keyboard cover for the Galaxy Tab A 10.5. It does offer one for its new flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S4, in addition to the Book Cover. The accessories for the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 include a charging dock which shows information like weather and time as well as different pictures while charging the device. The Book Cover will also be available for this device which will prop up the tablet so that users can watch videos easily.

As for when the tablet is going to be released, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is going to be available for purchase later this month on August 24. That’s also when it’s going to release the Galaxy Tab S4. The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 is going to be available in gray and white colors.

If that date sounds familiar it’s because you have been hearing it a lot recently. Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 9, is also expected to be released on August 24. Samsung hasn’t confirmed anything about the new smartphone at this point in time. It will confirm all of the details at its next Unpacked event which is scheduled for August 9.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S4: Price and release date

The Galaxy Tab S4 is now official, but how soon can you get your hands on it and for what price? Well, as fits a high-end tablet, the Galaxy Tab S4 will make quite a big hole in your pocket, especially if you opt for the LTE variant. The Galaxy Tab S4 price starts at €699 for the Wi-Fi-only variant; the LTE variant is priced at €759. These are the recommended retail prices for Europe and might be lower in some markets. You can expect similar price tags in non-European countries. The price of the 256GB storage variant is unknown right now, but expect to pay €100 to €150 above the 64GB base variant.

Galaxy Tab S4 price and release date

Now, let’s talk about the various accessories that will accompany the Galaxy Tab S4. The Tab S4’s Book Cover Keyboard will cost €149.99 while just the Book Cover will cost €69.99. The POGO charging dock, which lets you charge the tablet and use it as a screensaver and view basic information such as the weather, is priced at €59.99. Again, these are the recommended retail prices, so the final cost may depend on your country and/or retailer.

As for the release date, the wait is going to be a long one. Samsung will start selling the Galaxy Tab S4 on August 24, the same day as the Galaxy Note 9 is expected to go on sale. Yes, it’s rather disappointing that it won’t come out sooner, but we’re guessing Samsung wants to make sure all of its new products for the final part of the year come out at the same time as its next Note flagship. Of course, that’s considering the Note 9 is also coming out on August 24, although the rumors and leaks have pretty much confirmed that already.

Will you be getting the Galaxy Tab S4? What do you think of the pricing? If you need help deciding if the Tab S4 is a good upgrade over your Galaxy Tab S2 or Galaxy Tab S3, you can check out specs comparison posts here and here. For a look at the highlight features of the tablet, go here.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 hands-on impressions

So Samsung didn’t introduce only the Galaxy Tab S4 today. The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 has come along for the ride as well, as a cheaper offering with the same display size as the Tab S4. The Tab A is Samsung’s budget lineup of tablets and we had the opportunity to use the Tab A 10.5 at our hands-on session at Samsung Netherlands.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 hands-on impressions

The first thing we noticed was the build. The tablet is made of plastic so it feels less premium than the Tab S4. The same goes for the display. It’s a 10.5-inch LCD panel that pales in comparison to the AMOLED display on the Galaxy Tab S4. It’s rather off-putting, to be honest. With almost every Samsung smartphone sporting an AMOLED display these days, it’s not nice to see that Samsung isn’t giving us AMOLED displays on its budget tablets.

What Samsung has given us are four speakers, just like the Galaxy Tab S4 and a first for a budget tablet. They aren’t tuned by AKG but do support Dolby Atmos, and the sound quality was great. The Tab A 10.5 is also unique in that it doesn’t have a physical home button or capacitive navigation keys, making it one of few Samsung devices without an Infinity display to have software navigation keys. The tablet is a tad bigger than the Tab S4 but didn’t seem too problematic to use. To see how the two compare in size, check out this post.

On the software front, the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 runs Android 8.1 Oreo with Samsung’s Experience 9.5 UX. It also comes with Bixby Home and Bixby Vision, an updated version of Kids Mode, and the Daily Board feature that turns on when you put the tablet into the charging dock. Daily Board shows you basic information such as the weather and calendar events and cycles through gallery pictures to work as a screensaver of sorts. Our short time with the tablet was enough to tell us that it’s not the fastest device around, but it will hopefully be good enough in the long run for the segment Samsung is targeting.

Our full Galaxy Tab A 10.5 review will arrive in the coming weeks and tell you whether it’s worth your hard-earned money. Do tell us what you think about the device down in the comments, and check out its complete spec sheet in our devices section.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 hands-on impressions

As I saw the Galaxy Tab S4 booting up for the first time, I had a huge smile plastered on my face. It’s always great to see such a big and beautiful Super AMOLED display even though this is the fourth Galaxy Tab S tablet. In fact, when we received the Galaxy Tab S4, we were happy to see a new high-end tablet from Samsung without its traditional home button, putting the display front and center, so that’s why I started our Galaxy Tab S4 hands-on by talking about that 10.5-inch screen.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 hands-on impressions

And the display is beautiful, as I already mentioned. Samsung has also switched back to a 16:10 ratio for the screen so we can enjoy watching videos without black bars at the top and bottom. But the on-screen navigation keys can present a challenge in landscape mode. Why? Well, like the physical home button and the capacitive navigation keys on previous Samsung tablets, the software keys are placed at the center of the screen, away from the left and right corners.

People don’t usually use the tablet in landscape mode the same way they would use a phone, but I wonder if Samsung could have implemented the option to access the navigation keys by swiping in from each corner of the display. However, the good thing is that in landscape mode, the notification shade now shows up only in the area where you swipe down to access it. So if you swipe down from the left side of the display, the notification shade will show up on that side, making for easier one-handed use.

The Galaxy Tab S4’s four speakers are once again tuned by AKG, but this time we have Dolby Atmos support as well. I have to say the speakers are crazy loud, and enabling Dolby Atmos makes for noticeably richer sound. However, thanks to the short time we’ve had the Tab S4 in our possession, we will only be able to comment on how the speakers complement the stunning AMOLED display in our final review.

The same goes for the new DeX mode that Samsung has introduced on the Tab S4. You don’t need a DeX dock to access a desktop-like interface on the Galaxy Tab S4. It happens right on the tablet screen, and you can also turn the Tab S4 into the second monitor by connecting it to an external monitor using a USB Type-C to HDMI adapter. The tablet display can then be used as a trackpad or as a drawing surface.

Samsung has also added a feature called the Daily Board, which you can use with the charging stand accessory. Daily Board displays images from the gallery and information such as the weather, time, and calendar appointments while the tablet is charging. Samsung says Bixby Voice 2.0 will also be coming to the Galaxy Tab S4 at some point, although it’s unclear how the voice feature will work without a dedicated Bixby button.

Overall, the Galaxy Tab S4 feels like a fine-tuned version of the Galaxy Tab S3. Our full review will arrive in the coming weeks and tell you all you need to know about Samsung’s latest high-end Android tablet.

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Samsung launches budget Galaxy Tab A 10.5 with entertainment in mind

We knew that Samsung would soon unveil not one but two new tablets and that’s precisely what the company has done today. In addition to unveiling the flagship Galaxy Tab S4, Samsung today launched the Galaxy Tab A 10.5. It was previously referred to as the Galaxy Tab A2 XL but we now know what it’s really going to be called.

The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 has been developed as a budget tablet with entertainment in mind. The mid-range specs are enough to keep users entertained through enhanced audio and visual features. Families will also be able to share the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 as it enables them to create separate accounts through the Multi User Mode.

Galaxy Tab A 10.5

Much like the more expensive and flagship Galaxy Tab S4, the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 has a 16:10 aspect ratio display. The 1920×1200 pixel resolution 10.5-inch TFT LCD display is a decent size for content consumption. The lack of an AMOLED display on an entertainment-focused tablet will puzzle some but Samsung likely went with the LCD panel due to cost considerations.

It’s made out of plastic so it won’t quite have the metal and glass sandwich appearance. Like the Galaxy Tab S4, there are four speakers built into each corner of the tablet complete with Dolby Atmos support for an immersive audio experience. The speakers aren’t AKG-tuned, though.

It’s powered by a 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. External expansion up to 400GB is possible through a microSD card. The tablet has an 8-megapixel rear camera with flash and a 5-megapixel front camera. There’s no fingerprint sensor or iris scanner on this device.

The tablet ships with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. It features a 7,300mAh battery will be enough to keep the lights on for an extended period of time. SmartThings support means that the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 can also be used to control smart home devices. It features Bixby Home and Vision as well but not Voice.

Samsung’s child-friendly tablet interface, Kids Mode, is present as well. It gives parents control over the content and usage time. The mode also includes the Galaxy Apps for Kids, Kids Browser and eight free child-friendly apps from popular family brands such as BRIO World and Toca Hair Salon 3.

The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 will be available in gray and white colors in both Wi-Fi and LTE configurations on August 24. Also available will be a charging stand that showcases different pictures and information such as weather and time, along with a Book Cover that lets you prop the tablet up for watching videos.

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Galaxy Tab S4 goes official with 10.5″ display, DeX mode, Quad speakers, and more

The Galaxy Tab S4 is now official. Samsung has announced its fourth-generation Galaxy Tab S tablet today, ahead of the Galaxy Note 9’s August 9 unveiling in New York. The Galaxy Tab S4 is, like its predecessors, a high-end device that doesn’t quite go into flagship territory with its specs. But there are quite a few things that make it a great overall package, including a return to a 16:10 screen ratio and a built-in DeX mode that removes the need for Samsung’s DeX dock.

Galaxy Tab S4 is now official

The Galaxy Tab S4 has a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display. The 16:10 ratio means it’s suited for watching videos, something the Tab S2 and Tab S3 weren’t good enough for because of the 4:3 aspect ratio. And while it’s not exactly an Infinity display, the bezels are quite small and Samsung has also switched to virtual navigation keys. That means a fingerprint sensor isn’t there, but you do get an iris scanner and facial recognition along with the Intelligent Scan feature, making it an entirely button-less affair (not counting the volume and power keys).

The Galaxy Tab S4 also introduces Samsung DeX support to the company’s tablets. And no, there isn’t some big DeX pad that you’ll need to buy for it. You can get a desktop-like experience right on the Tab S4’s AMOLED display thanks to a DeX Mode feature, allowing for opening desktop versions of various apps. The Tab S4 can also be used as a second screen and a drawing surface by connecting it via a USB Type-C to HDMI adapter to an external monitor.

And thanks to the included S Pen, productivity should get a further boost, though it remains to be seen how useful the stylus will be in desktop mode on the tablet. The S Pen isn’t Bluetooth-enabled, however, despite firmware files for the Tab S4 hinting at it. But you do get all the creativity features for the S Pen, including the Live Message feature that debuted on the Galaxy Note 8 last year.

Galaxy tab S4 specs

In terms of specs, the Galaxy Tab S4 is like a flagship phone from 2017. There’s a Snapdragon 835 SoC under the hood, with a maximum core clock of 2.35GHz, and 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage (there’s also a variant with 256GB onboard storage). There’s a 13-megapixel camera at the back, an 8-megapixel front camera, Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity, and a 7,300 mAh battery with fast charging support and up to 16 hours of video playback. All of this is housed inside a glass body that is 1 mm thicker than the Tab S3.

Like the Tab S3, the Tab S4 comes with four loudspeakers tuned by AKG. It also has Dolby Atmos, which should make for some excellent audio quality without the need for headphones (the Tab S3 also received Dolby Atmos support with the Oreo update). On the software front, there’s Android 8.1 Oreo with Samsung Experience 9.5, a first for any Samsung device, at least when you count devices that have been made official.

Samsung will be selling an optional Book Cover case and a Book Cover Keyboard case, both of which offer a slot for sticking the S Pen in (yes, there’s no slot on the tablet for the stylus). There’s also a new charging stand that lets you prop the tablet up and use it as an always-on display with gallery pictures and information such as the time, weather, and calendar events.

The Galaxy Tab S4 will go on sale later this month in black and grey color options. Do check out what we think about the tablet in our hands-on impressions. For a look at the specs, check out our devices page.

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